Security, kindergarten highlight budget

Nanci G. Hutson

Updated 11:33 pm, Tuesday, January 15, 2013

NEWTOWN -- The looming shadow over Schools Superintendent Janet Robinson's proposed 2013-14 budget is the memory of the 20 Sandy Hook Elementary School students and six staff members lost in the shooting just over one month ago.

Prominent in her $73 million proposal, which would be a 6.5 percent increase over current spending, were measures for increased school security. Robinson's plan, presented at Tuesday night's meeting of the Board of Education, would add eight security guards at a cost of $165,200.

Three Newtown parents at the meeting advocated for a police presence -- through school resource officers -- in each of the town's schools.

They suggested that the money donated following the shootings might be used to cover those costs.

Robinson said the events at Sandy Hook on Dec. 14 changed district priorities, with safety a key focus for parents, teachers and staff. She also reinforced the educational advantages of all-day kindergarten as well as the need to increase technology and maintain buildings.

The proposal for an all-day kindergarten program would come at a cost to the district of $232,514, and would include seven teachers and six educational assistants.

Robinson said she recognized that her budget request is a big leap from what the town has received in recent years, but she said that for the district to move ahead, this is the cost.

The current year's $68.3 million education budget is just about half a percent more than the year prior. Robinson requested a 5.31 percent increase last year that included all-day kindergarten, but that did not pass muster.

The Legislative Council trimmed the school board's request by $1.7 million, and the overall town and school budget of $106.4 million was not approved until a fifth budget referendum.

This budget season will be different due to a charter change that requires the town and school budgets to be voted on separately. Each vote will pass or fail without impact on the other budget.